One Piece: Is The Netflix Series Doomed?

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The live-action version of One Piece recently launched its second season, bringing popular characters like Tony Tony Chopper, Smoker, Brook, and Sabo to a new audience. While the first season was highly praised and considered one of the best live-action anime adaptations, the second season hasn’t been as well-received. Now that it’s available on Netflix, it’s a good time to look at how the season is performing, its ratings, and what those results could mean for the show’s future.

Netflix’s second season of One Piece attracted 16.8 million viewers in its first four days, which is slightly lower than the 18.5 million viewers the first season had during the same period. Unlike shows like Stranger Things, which consistently saw increasing viewership with each new season, One Piece experienced a small dip. For comparison, Wednesday’s second season launch garnered over 50 million views in its first four days. While the exact budget for One Piece season two isn’t public, it’s likely comparable to, or even higher than, the first season’s cost. Production on season three is already underway, but the lower viewership numbers might suggest that securing a fourth season—and beyond—could be challenging for the series.

The Case For One Piece Sinking

The people making the live-action One Piece clearly care a lot about the original story, and that passion seems to be resonating with audiences. Globally, the show is doing very well on Netflix’s Top 10 list. However, it hasn’t become a huge hit in North America right away. According to Netflix’s Tudum site, season two of One Piece ranked fourth for the week of March 9th to 15th, behind shows like Love is Blind: The Reunion, The Dinosaurs, and Virgin River. While One Piece might not have as many total viewers worldwide as these other shows, it’s likely much more expensive to produce, particularly compared to a low-budget reality series like Love is Blind.

As we’ve already heard, a third season of One Piece is in the works, and Netflix plans to adapt the Alabasta arc. Given the desert setting and the mix of live-action actors and computer-generated characters, production costs are likely to be high. To guarantee future seasons and the jobs of everyone involved, this next season needs to perform well in viewership. Anime fans know that arcs like Skypeia, Water Seven, Thriller Bark, and Marineford would be very expensive to film, making us question if this season could be the final one. The long gap between seasons might also discourage some new viewers from getting invested in the story.

The Case For One Piece Sailing Free

Even though One Piece‘s live-action adaptation isn’t currently as popular as shows like Wednesday or Stranger Things, it’s still poised for success. One Piece has an advantage over series like Love is Blind and The Dinosaurs when it comes to merchandise, with beloved characters like Luffy offering strong promotional opportunities. Plus, the show is still performing very well globally – achieving top rankings is a significant accomplishment.

I’ve noticed something interesting – the release of One Piece season two actually gave season one a boost in viewership. It climbed back into the top ten, with people either revisiting the Straw Hats’ journey or discovering it for the first time. While season one didn’t reach the same numbers as the new season, it still added to Netflix’s overall ratings, which I’m sure they’re taking into account when considering the show’s future. Netflix has made it clear they want to be the go-to streaming service for One Piece, and this success definitely supports the idea that the live-action series will continue for a good while.

What are your thoughts on the ratings for One Piece season two? Share your opinion in the comments and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-19 00:46